Don't Forget! It's NOT All About Online Lead Generation

It's a digital age, and that makes it really easy for marketers to get so wrapped up in digital marketing that they forget the real world actually exists. Unbelievably, more than 7 billion people are walking around in it, though, and putting a renewed focus on your real life interactions with customers can fill out your marketing efforts for complete, all-around success. Here's what you need to know.

Types of Offline Lead Generation

When we talk about offline lead generation, we mean face-to-face interactions, over-the-phone contact, messages delivered through traditional offline media like TV and Radio, and other ways you engage with the public outside of the Internet. These lead generation efforts occur at your brick and mortar stores, at trade shows, and when your marketers make cold calls (telemarketing efforts count here).

Why Offline Leads are Important (Especially in B2B)

According to some studies, most B2B marketers get more leads through offline efforts than online, even in this 'everything is digital' world we live in. One study indicated that 76 percent of B2B leads were actually generated offline (or outside the digital realm) as opposed to 18 percent which are generated online. Obviously, no marketer can overlook a chunk of leads this large.

Even when the lead is generated online, further contact and relationship building offline (via a visit with the contact live or a person to person phone call) can dramatically improve the chances that the customer buys in many cases. Leads generated offline typically have higher conversion rates and customers finished the transaction with less feeling of having been pressured by the marketers or sales people.

Ways to Convert Leads in Offline Environments

Bring your lead generation efforts back to the physical realm from time to time. You'll see huge results.

How can you improve offline lead generation? Include your social media information on your printed receipts and invite customers to interact with your brand. Collect contact information at your points of sale. Encourage customers to leave reviews of your products and services on consumer review sites. Issue press releases and encourage the spread of your messages by word of mouth. Incorporate your offline leads with your online lead generation efforts.

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